Amazon, unveiled its plan to eliminate plastic delivery packaging from its U.S. fulfillment centres.

This initiative, announced on Wednesday, October 19, is a multiyear effort designed to transition towards curbside recyclable paper packaging, which not only reduces plastic waste but also offers the convenience of home recycling for customers.

The company’s fulfillment centre, nestled in Euclid, Ohio, is leading the charge as the first of its kind in the United States to fully replace plastic packaging with paper alternatives. Traditionally, Amazon, like many other retailers, employed a mix of plastic and paper packaging for various reasons, including durability, weight considerations, and size optimisation. However, recycling plastic packaging typically required customers to visit specific drop-off locations, presenting a considerable challenge for consumers.

To feasibly make the change and make a complete shift to paper packaging, Amazon had to revamp existing machines to use paper instead of plastic, create sturdy and flexible paper packaging, enhance made-to-fit technology, and phase out plastic air pillows in favor of paper fillers.

Pat Lindner, vice-president of Mechatronics and Sustainable Packaging at Amazon, expressed pride in the teams behind this effort. He said, “This is a major milestone for our U.S. fulfillment centres, and I’m incredibly proud of the teams that developed new technologies to eliminate plastic packaging. This is just the beginning, as we continue to discover more ways to eliminate and reduce plastic packaging for our customers.”

Today’s announcement reflects Amazon’s ongoing commitment to reducing packaging waste and increasing curbside recyclability throughout its operations. This includes innovative programmes like the “Ships in Product Packaging,” where products are tested and certified to ship without additional packaging. In 2022, Amazon shipped 11 per cent of packages worldwide without any added delivery packaging, and since 2015, they’ve reduced per-shipment packaging weight by 41 per cent. In 2022, single-use plastic delivery packaging decreased by 11.6 per cent across global operations, thanks to the expansion of paper-based packaging and the use of lighter and more flexible materials.

Amazon’s dedicated teams continue to make strides in improving packaging sustainability and transforming transportation networks. Its commitment to electrifying the delivery fleet and sourcing alternative fuels underscores their relentless pursuit of a greener future. For more details on its sustainability initiatives, you can refer to Amazon’s latest sustainability report.